


Secret, Lies and Immoral Sin (I'd face it all for you)

by SasseriaDavies



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Arranged Marriages, M/M, lords!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-17
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-03-07 21:21:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3183602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SasseriaDavies/pseuds/SasseriaDavies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin Free of the Ramsey household, heir to the Ramsey title and estate, is going to die, old, alone and unloved, unless he can finally choose a wife like his parents want. It's not his fault he's a little picky... and he doesn't like women. Hopefully a little help from best friend and stable hand Michael, a beautiful duchess named Meg and that stranger from the west he can't seem to get out of his head, will save him from whatever his parents have in store.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. meet me by the old oak tree

Whilst watching his only son pace back and forth in front of him, a passing thought flew into Geoff's head. _Another beautiful day in our small county and my son continues to act like an impertinent child._

“Father, she was awful! She talked over me, never listened to a single word that came out of my mouth and basically acted like I wasn't even there! I need a partner I can talk to. Not someone who wishes to talk at me, like I'm a stone.” Gavin ranted, his pacing increasing steadily with the speed of his words.

“Gavin,” Griffon, his mother, began gently. “I know this is tough for you. Finding a wife can be difficult, but you have to stop rejecting every lady, dame or maiden that comes to call. Your father is already finding himself out of favour with many nobles in the country because their daughters have taken offence to your rejection.” She reached out from her seat to take his hand, and although he responded with a small squeeze of his own hand clasped in hers, it did nothing to sway the boy's mind.

“Mother, I apologise for getting father in trouble but I can't abide any of these snooty, pompous, sneering women. They just aren't what I'm looking for.”

Suddenly, his father rose angrily, slamming a fist on the table. “Then what are you looking for, Gavin? Too bossy, too loud, too quiet, too timid, doesn't smile, smiles too much, too friendly, too distant! I find you the opposite of everything you dislike and you still throw it back in my face! I guarantee you now, boy, if you spend your life looking for perfection you'll be looking until you're in the ground!” He snapped, breathing heavily for a few seconds as his blazing eyes locked with his son's. But anger wasn't Geoff's forte. In fact, he found out early in life that putting too much energy into being angry was a waste of time. So he sighed, rubbing his forehead and trying for a smile. “Sorry, Gav. I didn't mean to yell. But please, just try to be a little more tolerable. For us?”

Gavin looked between his parents and rolled his eyes at their pleading expressions. “I'm not looking for perfection, father. I'm looking for love.”

Before the couple could open their mouths to reply, their son was gone.

 

* * *

 

For a clumsy man, Gavin was light on his feet and quick-paced, which meant he usually passed by most people before they even knew he was there. “They don't understand, they never have done. All's well and fine when you grew up together, had a chance to actually get to know each other before you jumped into a lifetime commitment, but I haven't had that. They have.” Gavin spoke aloud, almost unaware he was doing so as he jogged through the courtyard to the paddock behind the estate. “They were already in love by the time talks of marriage came along, so fate smiled upon _them._ When I need a bit of luck, I get laughed at! Fate enjoys watching me squirm.”

He glanced up, catching sight of the familiar auburn haired man in the distance, feeding hay to the horses. Gavin smiled, the dark clouds hanging over him all morning already starting to depart, and picked up his pace until it turned to a sprint. “Michael!” He yelled heartily, grinning like a mad man.

Watching as the man threw the cloth full of hay to the side, ready to catch the bundle of nobleman throwing himself forward, Gavin broke out in a laugh and launched himself at Michael, whose loud and lovely laugh bubbled up and out of him as well. The stable hand span him around in his arms playfully, before dropping him unceremoniously into a pile of horse hay.

“This is clean, right?” Gavin asked jokingly, brushing the hay from his tunic as he clambered up. The look of sheer glee on his best friend's face said otherwise and Gavin gagged loudly, hands on his knees as he doubled up. Meanwhile, Michael's laughing fit only increased, until the man was almost crying with the force of it. Eventually both men calmed and embraced each other in a hug.

“How goes the day, Michael?” He said brightly, running a hand through his wild blond hair in an attempt to dislodge the hay hiding in it.

“Same as always, Gav. Shovelling shit and petting these beauties.” He replied, just as brightly, as Gavin giggled.

The lord always found Michael's foul mouth a laughter inducing thing, even if it was only out of nervousness. Although the language was prevalent amongst common working men and women, it wasn't the type of thing Gavin had grown up with, because most of their servants only swore around each other, and never in front of the aristocracy. Michael, he found, was the exception. Perhaps that was what had attracted Gavin to him in the first place, since Michael always treated him as an equal. It was refreshing, instead of young servant girls stuttering over their words and tripping in their haste to get away from him. He wasn't that scary.

“How did that meeting your parents set up go? Will I see the wound of love's arrow on your skin?” Michael tagged on the poetic mockery of the women Gavin always seemed to meet in an effort to lighten the mood, although he could see the man almost physically deflate. The lord kicked a hay bale with a heeled boot and plopped himself down, head in his hands.

“That bad, huh?”

The high pitched groaning noise coming from under his hands confirmed what Michael was already thinking. “Worse, Michael, honestly, it felt like a whirlwind. I came out feeling sick to my stomach.” When Michael chuckled, he moaned again, flouncing onto his back. “I should accept it. I, Gavin Free of the Ramsey household, heir to the Ramsey title and estate, am going to die, old, alone and unloved.”

“Oh for fuck's sake Gavin, sit up. You're messing up my hale bale, for one thing, and I keep telling you! You. Will. Not. Die. Alone.” He punctuated each word with a nudge, until Gavin heaved himself upright with a grimace. “There are so many lovely women out there you could grow to love, even if it isn't the romance you've always dreamed of. At least you'd be married to a friend.”

Michael spoke more gently when he spoke about Gavin's marriage, the only one aware of the rather _delicate_ situation surrounding it. The situation was this: Gavin Free of the Ramsey household, heir to the Ramsey title and estate, was attracted to men. Exclusively. No room for debate.

It could kill him.

The thought was always sobering, so both men tended to avoid talking about it, though the fear of being overheard was also a large factor, because it would essentially ruin Gavin's life. Michael cared about him far too much to let that happen; he'd defend Gavin to the death if he had to.

“Michael, what am I to do? My parents are growing impatient and are urging me to pick someone already. I'm afraid if I don't pick someone soon they'll just choose for me. I can't go against their wishes, but there's no way in this world that they will find someone suitable. Oh, what if she rejects me? What if we marry and she wants nothing to do with me? She'll frequent male brothels in secrecy and I'll be a disgrace to my family because I can't care for my own wife-!”

“Gavin! Shut your blathering mouth and heed me! You are a remarkable lad, and there's no way you could disappoint any maiden you have. They'll be as lucky as the Lady Fortuna herself. So you need to pull yourself together and then you need to take Boaz for a ride. He's getting restless.” With that, Michael had finished his pep talk. Short, sweet and to the point. They usually achieved their objective – get Gavin on the horse so he can focus on shooting and forget his troubles – so he had no problem with giving them.

Gavin nodded, before thanking his friend with a strong pat to his shoulder, beaming when the shorter man ruffled his hair affectionately. “You're a good one, Michael. I hope your love realises it.” The lord spoke as Michael finished saddling up Boaz, who was looking as bright-eyed as usual.

After Gavin boosted himself up and settled into the saddle, Michael pushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled. “She knows, Gav. Now, find your head.”

The lord held his hand up in a wave and guided the horse through the open gates, trotting towards the path in the forest where he could gallop with no problem. “Good bye, Michael!” He yelled loudly, eyes focused on the opening in the tree line. Flicking the reins with a practised action, Gavin began to pick up speed, enjoying the feel of the wind rushing through his hair as Boaz soared easily through the leafy arches, causing the spattering of the late morning light leaking through the gaps in the trees to blur into a golden haze. The smell of oak and a certain freshness one can only attribute to spring filled his nostrils and instead of practising with his bow, Gavin decided to drink in the day and clear his head of everything. Everything except the physical feelings he was experiencing.

 

* * *

 

When he finally reached a clearing split into two by a clear sparkling stream, Gavin slowed, dismounting Boaz and tying the horse to a tree, leaving enough slack in the rope that the horse could easily drink from the stream and stand near Gavin if he so wished. Then Gavin himself pulled down his pack, before situated himself under the tallest oak tree at the edge of the clearing, where the leaves provided enough shade to be at a perfect temperature.

It was there he stayed undisturbed for at least an hour, feeling peaceful and at one with the ground around him. Here, listening to the steady flow of the stream, whispering sweet nothings, marrying a woman he didn't love chosen by his parents seemed like a bad dream. Then, there was a rustling in the trees across the clearing, on the other side of the stream.

Scrambling to his feet, Gavin had his bow drawn and an arrow nocked and aimed at the trees as a horse plodded into view, supporting a tall blond man, who was quite possibly the most beautiful man he had ever seen.

“Please don't shoot! I'm no threat to you, I swear!” The man called out boldly, sliding from the saddle of his steed and holding his hands up. Gavin, who had honestly forgotten he was even holding his bow, quickly slipped the arrow back in its quiver and strode over to the stream, watching as the man advanced too. It was at this point the lord noticed the icy blue eyes of the stranger, and the hint of scruff on his face. His styled hair looked slightly dishevelled, but he was very well presented and obviously some sort of noblemen.

Those eyes. Something in them gave the impression to Gavin of an intelligent man, wise but still youthful; they were so bright and alive that it made him shiver a little. “Hello, good Sir.”

“Hello, Sir. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Ryan Haywood, visiting from the west. How do you do?”

“How do you do? I'm Gavin Free of the Ramsey household. Very pleased to make your acquaintance.” He replied, still a little dazed. This only increased when Ryan hopped swiftly and skilfully across the river to put a hand on Gavin's arm. “No more than I am pleased to make yours. That I can promise you, Gavin.” He smiled, and those blue eyes seemed to dance, twisting and beckoning to him.

Gavin Free fell in love a little. He had a feeling things were going to go _very_ wrong with this man _very_ quickly, but... he couldn't quite bring himself to care.


	2. horsing around

“So, the Ramsey house, huh? Tell me, how does dear Geoffrey fare?” Ryan asked politely, settling himself down next to the place Gavin had nestled himself. Gavin dithered helplessly, hovering near the stranger but unsure as to whether it was appropriate to sit next to him. Ryan, seeming to notice his uncertainty, patted the grass next to him and hummed pleasantly when the younger man dropped down into the spot.

“You know my father?”

“I used to. A long, long time ago. In fact, he probably wouldn't even recognise me now; we were only boys.” He explained briefly, eyes wandering over the clearing before finally choosing to rest on Gavin's face. “But that's ancient history now, I suppose.”

The young lord wanted to ask more, for his inquisitive mind was rarely sated until he'd absorbed all the information he could on a topic. However, he understood that the other man didn't want to speak of it any further. So he decided to change the subject.

“Do you think horses can smell fear?”

Ryan burst out laughing, a pleasantly deep rumbling sound emitting from him as Gavin blushed lightly. “Seriously? Gavin, horses are frightful creatures. They're temperamental and often startled.”

“Well, my friend Michael called me an idiot, but I think they can. Whenever Boaz and I are riding home in the dark and I hear a noise that scares me, he rears,” he explained lightly, watching Ryan's face as the man raised an eyebrow.

“The horse is probably scared of the noises as well. In fact, horses probably reek of fear permanently.”

His laughter began again when Gavin sighed, sticking his bottom lip out in a pout. “I'm sorry, Gavin, have I upset you? Did you want to believe Boaz could smell your fear?” When the younger lord didn't reply, he continued: “Why would you like that? Your horse could learn your secret fears and use them against you.”

Gavin couldn't resist a giggle at that, and stretched out his legs into the sun. “Boaz would never want to hurt me. Geoff is fine by the way, albeit a little aggravated with me at the moment.” He sighed once more and leaned back against the tree.

“Why?” Ryan asked gently.

There was a pause, and Ryan expected him not to reply, but after a moment he opened his mouth.

“I refuse to take a wife.” He glanced up at the older man, who in turn only raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue with his tale. “I just- I don't like any of those highborn ladies that come to meet me. I feel like... I feel like I'm looking for a racehorse, and all I'm being presented with are workhorses. Or something like that.” He finished, exasperated. “Sorry, that probably sounds idiotic, and rude to the women as well.”

“No, I think I understand. You want something to make your head spin a little, not something predictable and expected of you.” He elaborated, and Gavin's face cleared.

“That sounds about right. They all act in the same way. It's all so fake and I know I'd be unhappy in a marriage like that. But my parents don't understand because what they have has always been so real and sweet, but a little shocking too, because they weren't supposed to be married at first.”

It was strange to talk so openly with Ryan, a man he just met, because Gavin didn't make friends easily, so he never found it easy to open up about his feelings. But his words flowed naturally in front of Ryan, who listened intently and nodded in all the right places. Sure, Michael always listened to his rants, but never really offered anything other than a pep talk. He supposed that was to be expected – after all, Michael and he still lived in different kinds of worlds. Ryan seemed to be more on his level.

“Are you a lord, Ryan?” He asked, looking up at the man.

Ryan coughed a little. “Well, not exactly. I was taken in by a wealthy traveller when I was lad, who had a title of some sort. But I decided I didn't want his title because...” He trailed off and shook his head slightly. “The reason does not matter. I've been travelling for three days now, and honestly Gavin, I'm very glad I ran into you.” He stood up, offering a hand to him.

He took it, brushing himself down and frowning slightly. “Why, because I'm so dashing?”

The older man chuckled. “Well, that's one reason. No, I wanted to come back to this county, and you're proof I have finally arrived in the right place. I think I'll be very happy here. If you would be so kind as to lead me back to the town, I can carry on alone from there.”

Gavin couldn't stop his heart from fluttering slightly at the possibility of seeing Ryan again. “So, you'll be staying in the town for a while?”

Ryan nodded. “Quite a while, I should think, if all goes well. For a moment Gavin could swear something dark flashed across those blue eyes, something raw and filled with terror, but just like that it was gone, so quickly he couldn't be sure he'd even seen it. He shook his head, and with a smile, he picked up his pack. “Of course I can guide you. We should probably head back now though. I'll be due home soon anyway, and you need to find a place to stay in one of the inns. We get a lot of visitors, so you'll want to be early to get a good room.”

He headed to Boaz, patting the chestnut horse lovingly before hoisting himself up. Casting a glance over to the other man, he smiled absent-mindedly as Ryan patted his horse and cooed a little. His smile quickly morphed into a slightly agonized expression as he watched the older man mount the horse, flicking his sandy hair out of his eyes and grinning over at him.

_Oh God. Please don't let this be a crush,_ Gavin thought to himself, pleading slightly, as he turned Boaz towards the trail. “Come on, Ryan. Oh, and try to keep up. Boaz is wicked fast.” He added, flicking the reins and taking off at a gallop, laughing loudly when he heard a curse and Ryan shout his name with playful anger.

The sound of the hooves pounding against the dirt behind him made Gavin bend forward, urging Boaz on as the adrenaline he felt rocketed. This was exactly what he needed: the thrill of the chase, wind rushing through his hair as he galloped on at dizzying speed, knowing he was in control. This was what he loved. What he needed in a love. 

They shot out of the woods in record time, slowing to a trot as both men caught their breath. Ryan was laughing breathlessly, hair wild and eyes alight with excitement. Again, something stirred insistently inside Gavin, and he slowed Boaz to a walk. “Well, here we are, Ryan. I bid you a fond farewell, and hope I will see you again someday.”

“With any luck, it will be some day soon. You are remarkable, Gavin Free.” The man nodded, before he rode away, towards the town. Gavin only watched after him wistfully, before heading back to the paddock, trying desperately to think about anything other than Ryan Haywood, mystery man and absolutely divine specimen. “This does not bode well for me,” he muttered darkly, reaching the gates. “Michael?” He called, surprised when there was no reply. Michael always hung around while Gavin was out for a ride. He dismounted, opening the gate himself and leading Boaz in. "Michael?" He tried again.

Fearing the worst, Gavin full out sprinted to the stables as his head ran through all of the possible things that could have happened to his best friend. When he got close enough, he slowed to a stop, hearing another voice mingling with Michael's.  _Who on earth...?_ Gavin frowned, creeping silently to the door and peeking through.

Michael was there, with a red-headed girl in riding gear and a heavy brown cloak – which Michael was in the process of unhooking – and Gavin's eyes widened as the woman smirked. She let her cloak drop to the floor and ripped open Michael's simple tunic and shirt, roaming her hands over his chest and whispering sultry comments. The tips of his best friend's ears were bright red and he placed his hands on the girl's hips, mouth at her neck. She tipped her head back and moaned.

It was at this moment, when Gavin took a step back, he crashed into a bucket and tumbled into a pile of hay. 

“Gavin?!” Michael ran out, flushed and hastily trying to button his shirt. 

“Hi, Michael,” he spoke sheepishly, peering past him as the girl's head popped around the door. “Having fun?”

“It's only Gavin!” He called out, and the woman he knew as Lindsay hurried out to join her lover with a grin on her face. 

“You sly hound, Michael, I can't believe you brought her here! If my father had caught you-!”

“I know, I know. She surprised me!” He threw his hands up dramatically as Lindsay chuckled.

“What can I say? I'm gorgeous. Men can't resist my charm and good looks.” She retaliated, flicking her ponytail a little. 

“I'll say,” Michael commented, a silly smile on his face as his arm crept around her waist once more. Gavin sensed this was probably the time to make his exit and hopped up. “Listen, if you could sort Boaz out when you're finished I'll be on my way.” After receiving a firm nod, he gave them a little wave and hurried out across the field, vaulting over the gates and heading back to the house. 

He really didn't want to face his parents.

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think? Was it great? Was it awful? Did it float the freewood boat? Tell me, I love feedback! :)


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